


Inspiration Comes from the Heart

by Renaski



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Author!Percy, Books, Editor!Nico, Fluff, M/M, oblivious dorks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-02
Updated: 2014-07-02
Packaged: 2018-02-07 02:23:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1881519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Renaski/pseuds/Renaski
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Percy is an author, Nico is his editor, and both are oblivious.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Inspiration Comes from the Heart

You see, Percy has never been the most literate person, what with his dyslexia and all. He made up for it, though, with his vast and wild imagination, so his publishing company (that favoured him quite a lot) left it to his editors to take care of the typos and grammar mistakes.

Annabeth Chase had been his first editor when he was taken into Olympus Publishing, as well as his girlfriend for a little while. Though they both agreed on breaking up since they were more comfortable being friends. After editing Percy's hit book, Annabeth was transferred to the European branch, to translate English novels to German and vice-versa.

After Annabeth had been Jason Grace. Usually, Percy liked to absorb inspiration from those around him, taking bits and pieces of their interesting characteristics and moulding it into a full-grown story just from that. However, Jason was perfect--way too perfect--and Percy quickly grew bored with the characters he came up with for a book he was working on at the time, so Jason was quickly replaced.

Now, Percy had Nico di Angelo. And Nico was Percy's biggest inspiration yet. The boy was full of mystery and magic--like his family problems (which was actually confessed over coffee and biscuits), his love for 1930 and older novels, his insomnia, his love for Disney classics (like Percy), his curiosity and unspoken liking of Percy's blue food obsession, his active imagination, and so much more. Knowing all these things, the two grew close. It was all so intriguing, and it inspired Percy's best (in his opinion) story yet.

 

• • •

 

When Percy handed Nico the rough draft for his new book, surprising was the least he could describe it as. It centred around two boys, one gay and the other apparently straight, until he found out he loved the homosexual boy. It certainly wasn't something one would expect from the aspiring author Percy Jackson.

Nico noticed that the previously straight character resembled Percy a lot. Black, shaggy hair, loves swimming and the colour blue, has a loving mother (that supported the character when he came out of the closet), and very ADHD. Nico absolutely loved the book, though he'd never admit it. He would certainly not confess that he loves the main character so much because he reminds him of Percy. Percy, who will write in something extra to the story and re-read it, and a moment later will be confused as to what he wrote and why. Percy, who added blue food colouring to his ice cream because 'it was creative to have blue ice cream tasting like chocolate'. Percy, who was utterly adorable when he abandoned everything around him when he was concentrated on something. Percy, who would never feel about Nico the way Nico does for him.

"It's different than your other works, and...interesting," Nico said after he skim-read through the rough copy. "I like it."

Percy beamed at him. "Really?"

Nico nodded. He loved how Percy appreciated praise for something he worked hard on, with true modesty as well. And how passionate he was about his books, not only seeing it as a living.

"Great." Percy grinned. "I guess I owe it to you for inspiring me."

Nico gulped, his eyes glued to Percy's gorgeous sea-green ones. "I inspired it?" Could this mean that Percy felt the same about Nico? Nico really hoped so, but he couldn't be too positive, just in case.

"Yeah," Percy said, leaning back on his couch and laying his head on top of the back rest. "You're really different from people I'm used to, so I thought, why not write something different than I'm used to?"

"Oh." Nico got his hopes up way too high, and now he sounded disappointed unintentionally. "That makes sense. It's good for you to try new things."

 

• • •

 

Annabeth visited a month after, and Percy was thrilled. They went for lunch at a small café crowded around more visited shops. Percy gave Annabeth a copy of the edited work, and waited patiently as she read bits and pieces.

"This is quite new," Annabeth commented, still looking at the copy. "Though I suppose I should have seen something new coming, as you are full of surprises."

Percy grinned. "You never said if you like it or not, Wise Girl."

Annabeth chuckled. "I do, Seaweed Brain. I have one question, though."

"Shoot."

"Who's the boy?"

Percy looked at her, his head tilted in confusion. "What boy?"

"The one the main character falls for," Annabeth said, putting down the copy. "I know the main character is you, so who is the love interest based on?"

"I don't remember basing him off anyone in particular," Percy answered, a thoughtful expression shadowing his face. "But some things were inspired by my new editor."

Annabeth leaned forward, elbows on the table, propping her arms as she rested her head on her hands. "Tell me about your new editor," Annabeth said, looking him straight in the eye. "He sounds like an interesting person.

And so Percy told Annabeth everything he knew about Nico; what he loved about the younger male and everything sweet and sugary.

 

Later, when the two left, they ran into the boy they were talking about. Percy introduced Nico, but was interrupted before he could introduce Annabeth.

"Aha!" Annabeth shrieked, pointing at Nico while still holding the unpublished copy of the book in the other hand. "I knew it!"

Nico flinched slightly. "Um..." He looked to Percy for help.

Annabeth smirked at Percy knowingly while Percy stared back stupidly. She sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes when he didn't comprehend.

"Sorry." She looked at Nico apologetically. "You just really look like the _main love interest in Percy's new novel_." She said the last part a bit louder.

"Thank you, I guess..?" Nico muttered awkwardly, fiddling with the drawstrings on his black hoodie. "I need to, uh, go see my sister now. Pardon me." He side-stepped them and quickly headed off to his destination.

Percy watched Nico go until his arm was punched. He yelped and glared at Annabeth while rubbing his arm. "What was that for?"

"You should hurry up and confess." Annabeth glared right back at him.

"Confess what?"

Annabeth smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand. "You oblivious idiot. Just hurry up and ask Nico out!"

Percy blushed bright red. "Ask him out? No way! He'll hate me."

"And why would he hate you?" Annabeth rolled her eyes as if she was explaining something to a child that kept repeating 'why?' "Seaweed Brain, I guarantee you won't be hated by him." Oh, she had certainly noticed the way Nico had looked at Percy--looking at him like he was a precious pearl that no one but he was allowed to touch.

"You're not a psychic, Annabeth," Percy sighed and let go of his bruised arm. "Besides, what makes you think I like him like that?"

"No, but I am a girl." Annabeth smiled softly. "And you never outright denied any feelings for him, or said you didn't feel that way for him."

Percy pouted. "There's still the possibility of rejection, you know."

"Just give it a shot, Perseus."

 

And he did so. Percy walked right up to Nico's apartment the next day, a single piece of paper in his hand. He knocked on the door and waited patiently for six seconds before the door opened, revealing the Italian boy, hair pulled back in a small ponytail and wearing an apron that said, "WARNING: Complaints to the Cook May Be Hazardous to Your Health," and one arm covered in flour.

"Percy..." Nico blinked, a light blush dusting his cheeks (which Percy found adorable with the small smudge of flour on the younger boy's cheek). "Um, come on in. Is there something you need?"

Percy shook his head. "Cooking?"

"Baking," Nico corrected.

"Mind if I help you eat it when you're done?"

"I don't mind, but..." Nico's blush darkened. "What did you come here for?"

Percy grinned. "You'll see. So what are you baking?"

"You'll see." Percy chuckled and Nico smiled ever so slightly.

Percy walked into the apartment, Nico closing the door after him, and sat on the black leather couch in the living area. It was nice and homey, for a New Yorker at least, and there were little knick-knacks everywhere, from a ceramic wolf resting on the TV's stand to a Hades figurine resting in the opened bedroom. Occasionally, Percy would glance at Nico as he worked. The boy's eyes always narrowed when he was concentrating on something, and he usually bit down on his lower lip, as he did now. Percy suppressed the chuckle that wanted to escape, but couldn't hold in the fond smile.

Soon, Nico was putting a tray into the oven and came over to sit with Percy after washing his hands.

"So, the explanation for you coming to my apartment out of the blue?" Nico asked, folding one leg over the other and leaning back on the sofa, arms crossed. This usually meant business.

"Have you ever noticed something about the characters in my recent book, Nico?" Percy turned to him and looked at him seriously.

Nico shrugged. "The main character is very...sassy?"

Percy shook his head, but was smiling anyway. "You know how I said you inspired the book?" Nico nods. "Well, I sort of--kind of--maybe--actually--based the two characters off us."

"I know it sounds creepy," Percy added hastily. "But... Uh--I mean, it'd be really cool if you...went out with me..."

"Me?" Nico pointed to himself in disbelief. "Really? You're interested in me?"Percy nodded and a slow smile spread on Nico lips.

"Yes. I'd love to," he said quietly. Percy broke out grinning.

The twenty minutes of waiting passed with Percy and Nico kissing, and Nico's timer went off too soon for Percy's liking. They ate the cookies (Percy pouted that they weren't blue and Nico made a promise to bake him blue cookies an other time) in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Percy remembered something.

"Almost forgot," Percy said as he reached into his pocket to pull out the folded piece of paper he brought with him. "This is the alternate ending I had for the book."

He gave the paper over to Nico. The Italian read through it and a small smile graced his lips.

The alternate ending he had for the book was that the love interest would grow up to achieve his dream of being an author, with the main character supporting him all the way. In the end, the love interest's first book would be of an aspiring author falling in love with his editor--like with Percy and Nico. 

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this on my phone, so if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes, I apologize dearly. Hope you enjoyed reading this one-shot! Kudos, comments and such are always appreciated, but don't feel as if it's a chore you need to do. :)


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